Mexico's community police

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police stand on the bed of a pickup truck during a night patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, in the Costa Chica (small coast) region of the southern state of Guerrero January 27, 2013. Residents of Ayutla de los Libres, joined by the Community Police, took up arms three weeks ago to patrol and defend their communities from organized crime gangs that have plagued the region, local media reported. The...more

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police stand on the bed of a pickup truck during a night patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, in the Costa Chica (small coast) region of the southern state of Guerrero January 27, 2013. Residents of Ayutla de los Libres, joined by the Community Police, took up arms three weeks ago to patrol and defend their communities from organized crime gangs that have plagued the region, local media reported. The Community Police, a police force made up of volunteers from the communities of Costa Chica and the mountains of Guerrero, was created in 1995 in response to the spate of violence in the region, and is based on the traditional indigenous justice system. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police stand on the bed of a pickup truck during a night patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 27, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police stand on the bed of a pickup truck during a night patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 27, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police stand guard during a night patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 26, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police stand guard during a night patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 26, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police patrol a street in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police patrol a street in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police keep watch during a patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police keep watch during a patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

A federal police officer stands next to a man sitting crouched over at a market in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

A federal police officer stands next to a man sitting crouched over at a market in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

A member of the Community Police stands guard next to a resident in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 27, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

A member of the Community Police stands guard next to a resident in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 27, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Plastic weapons hang from the walls of an internet cafe in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 26, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Plastic weapons hang from the walls of an internet cafe in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 26, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

A man stands at the entrance of a nightclub in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 26, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

A man stands at the entrance of a nightclub in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 26, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police keep watch as they stand next to women selling food outside their home in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 27, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Members of the Community Police keep watch as they stand next to women selling food outside their home in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 27, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Children walk past a mural depicting Moors and Christians dancing at a religious festival, in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 27, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Children walk past a mural depicting Moors and Christians dancing at a religious festival, in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 27, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

A federal police officer patrols a market in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

A federal police officer patrols a market in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

A member of the Community Police reads a newspaper showing a picture of people they had detained a day before during a patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

A member of the Community Police reads a newspaper showing a picture of people they had detained a day before during a patrol in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 28, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

A man looks to the camera as he sits outside a store in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 26, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

A man looks to the camera as he sits outside a store in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 26, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

A man carries firewood as he walks past a soldier at a checkpoint in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 29, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez

Thursday, January 31, 2013

A man carries firewood as he walks past a soldier at a checkpoint in the town of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, January 29, 2013. REUTERS/Camilo Martinez